Body found inside burning Willard house; 1 man arrested

A body was found inside a burning house in Willard. Police have arrested one man, but are saying very little about the case.

WILLARD, Box Elder County — A body was found inside a burning home in Willard Thursday, but police are saying very little about their investigation.

Crews were called to 103 E. 100 North about 3 a.m. Thursday on a report of a house fire. Investigators searched the home and found the body of a male inside. Willard Police Chief Nate Thompson would not say Friday whether the victim was an adult or juvenile.

"The identity of the body is still unknown," he said.

An autopsy was conducted Friday, but Thompson said the results — including a possible cause of death — were "pending."

He confirmed, however, that "one person has been taken into custody and booked" into the Box Elder County Jail. Yet the chief wouldn't release the name of the man they arrested, nor would he say what he was being investigated for. He did say, however, that his office was not looking for additional people.

Jeremy Lankford, 28, was booked into the Box Elder County Jail on Thursday, the jail confirmed. Lankford is the brother of the deceased male and was arrested for investigation of resisting arrest and interfering with police, according to the Standard Examiner. He reportedly locked himself inside his vehicle in front of the house and refused to come out.

As for whether the homeowner had been accounted for, Thompson would only say: "I can't comment on that right now." When asked who normally lives in the house that was on fire, he replied, "I'm not going to comment on that either right now."

The cause of the fire was being investigated by the Utah State Fire Marshal's Office.

Pat is a veteran police and courts reporter for the Deseret News and KSL and has covered some of the biggest stories in Utah for the past two decades. He is a graduate of Michigan State University with a BA in journalism.